Virginia Hospital Center's registered nurses Katy Allen, left, “Doc”, and Alba, far right, prepped me for a surgical biopsy (specifically a Laryngoscopy procedure) to allow the doctors to examine my larynx, in order to possibly detect any cancerous tissue in and around my throat, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Theses nurses were awesome at their job! Not only were they proficient, but their bed-side manners and care were amazing. They truly made me fill comfortable before I went to the operation room.

Since 2013, I've undergone five surgical biopsies after finding out that I have cancer just over three years ago (and yes ... I’m starting to feel like Virginia Hospital Center’s (VHC) human-size pin cushion!

With my wife by my side, I went back to VHC for a surgical biopsy (specifically a Laryngoscopy procedure) to allow the doctors to examine my larynx, in order to possibly detect for any cancerous tissue in and around my throat, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. My recent PET/CT (technically known as Positron emission tomography-computed tomography) scan on June 9 showed abnormal tissue increase near my left tonsillar region. With the reoccurrence of a tumor and cancer in my left leg (diagnosed June 3, 2016), my oncologist and medical team are taking an overly aggressive approach to enhance my fighting chance against cancer.

What’s happens next…

I am scheduled to see my oncologist next Tuesday, June 28, to learn what type of chemo/immunotherapy they have planned for me. Also, they will let me know if I have cancer near my larynx and/or throat area from this latest laryngoscopy procedure.

Now, here’s a good story for ya…

While they were wheeling me to the operation room yesterday, this retired Navy nurse (I call “Doc” and who is standing to my left in the photo) asked me, “Alex, I want to hear that Marine in you, so would you be so kind and bark out an “oorah” for me.”

I said, “Do you want the full bark or just me say, “oorah” in a low tone?”

She said, “I want to hear that full Marine bark.”

“Are you sure you want that full Marine bark?” I asked again.

With a firmer request she said, “YES, I want to hear you bark out the Marine “oorah”!”

Well, I always aim to please folks, so I gave her what she wanted...and bellowed out an: "OORAH!"

That day was a day everyone on that floor heard a true Marine’s bark (and of course, it was kinda cool to see folks run out of the examining rooms to the hallway with a shocked look on their faces ;-)

AJH